From Sahagún to Valencia de Don Juan and Benavente

Abstract

Whilst Moore had been advancing against Soult, the Central Junta, now sufficiently removed to give full scope to their discussions, debated how best to defend Spain. They were assisted by Mr. Frere, the British minister, who offered helpful suggestions. In Madrid, whenever possible, patriots murdered French soldiers, the French executed patriots, and issued announcements that the city was tranquil. At Zamora, Commissary Schaumann, oblivious of the fact that the army had bypassed him continued happily to bake biscuits against the time when they would be needed by a ravenous army. He had organized hordes of countrywomen into a very efficient operation. As some women took the pans of freshly baked biscuits from the ovens, they were carried by others to Commissary Schaumann who kept a tally of their number. They were then carried to an empty monastery, which, says Schaumann, “towards the end, we filled up completely.” The Commissary was justly proud of his biscuits, which were he says, “as large as pancakes, and their outsides of a glossy golden colour, while inside they were as white as snow. They were really delicious.”²